The 32D 'Red Arrow' Veteran Association

The 32D
‘Red Arrow’ Division

in World War I

From the ‘Iron Jaw
Division’

to ‘Les Terribles’

Index:

Activation and Mobilization of Wisconsin and
Michigan National Guards

Alsace

Aisne-Marne

Oise-Aisne

Meuse-Argonne

March to the Rhine

Army of Occupation - Die Wacht am Rhein

The U. S.
declared war on Germany on 6 April 1917.
Two infantry regiments that would become part of the 32D ‘Red Arrow’
Division, the 33D Michigan Infantry and 3D Wisconsin
Infantry, were already in Federal service.

The 33D
Mich. had been on active duty since it was mobilized for the Mexican Border
Crisis. As soon as they returned from El Paso, TX they were dispatched to guard
important sites in their home state, to prevent possible attacks from saboteurs.
Company L, from Menominee, guarded to ore docks at Escanaba. The other
companies guarded the ore docks at Marquette, guarded the railroad tunnels
under the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, and performed garrison duty at Camp
Custer, Fort Wayne, and Fort Brady. The 33D Mich. was relieved of
this duty on 31 Jul. ’17.

The 3D
Wis. also served during the Mexican Border Crisis, they returned from Waco, TX
and demobilized 14 Dec. ’16, only to be activated for Federal service again in
Mar. of ’17 to guard vital infrastructure and industrial sites. Company B, from
La Crosse, guarded the large railroad bridge over the Chippewa River between
Pepin and Nelson. Part of Co. H, from Menomonie, guarded the Red Cedar railroad
bridge while the remainder went to Superior to guard bridges and ore docks.
Company M, from La Crosse, guarded the ore docks at Superior, WI.

Almost all of the pre-April 1917
units of the Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard had been activated for the
Mexican Border Crisis. After war was declared, many new units were organized as
the Wisconsin and Michigan National Guards nearly doubled in size.

On 15 July 1917 the
National Guards of Wisconsin and Michigan were officially ordered into Federal
Service and mobilization commenced at state camps, Camp Douglas and Camp
Grayling respectively.

The
mobilization order had been anticipated and several units had arrived in camp
before the official mobilization. One such unit was the 1ST
Wisconsin Field Artillery, which arrived at Camp Douglas, WI on 2 July.

General Order No. 95, War
Department, 18 July 1917, specified that the National Guard troops from
Wisconsin and Michigan would be combined to form the 32D Division
and would train at Camp MacArthur, near Waco, Texas, where the organization of
the 32D Division would be completed.

While
the official orders for the creation of the 32D Division were dated
18 July, the actual, physical organization of the Division did not start until
late Aug. and early Sep., when most of the units had reached Camp MacArthur.

There
are three important dates associated with the birth of the 32D ‘Red
Arrow’ Division. As mentioned above, 18 July 1917 is the date that pronounced the impending
creation of the 32D Division. War Department instructions dated 22 September 1917 provided detailed
information about how the old Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard units would
be combined and reorganized to form the 32D Division in accordance
with the 1917 Tables of Organization. The third date is 15 October 1917, the date that numerous Division unit histories
mention as the date their units came into existence. This is likely the
completion date, the effective date, of the physical reorganization to create
the 32D ‘Red Arrow’ Division from those historic Wisconsin and
Michigan National Guard units.
[updated 1 Sep. ‘14]

The 32D
Division was to be a massive “square” division, like all American divisions
being created at the time.

“A complete division is difficult to
visualize. One must see it with all its armament, troops, and trains to begin
to understand - infantry brigades, machine gun battalions, artillery,
engineers, trench mortar battery, signal corps, ammunition trains, supply
trains, sanitary trains, mobile repair shops, medical corps troops, field
hospitals, ambulance companies, brigade staffs, and division staff. In
personnel 28,000, animals some 9,000, motor cars, motor trucks, tanks,
balloons, airplanes, and last but not least, the military police. In a single
close column - men marching in column of fours well closed up - the division is
now more than 30 miles long.” (Haan 8)

On 4 August 1917 Company A, 1ST Michigan Engineers became
the first unit of the 32D Division to arrive at Camp MacArthur,
Texas.

On 5 August the National Guard Soldiers from Michigan and Wisconsin
were officially drafted into federal service.

They had
to be discharged from National Guard status and immediately “drafted” into
federal service due to constitutional restraint that prohibited the use of the
National Guard outside of the U.S.

On 17 August Major General
James 'Galloping Jim' Parker assumed command of the 32D Division. On
18 September he left for France on special duty. He returned in early
December, but was almost immediately transferred to the 85TH
‘Custer’ Division which was being organized at Camp Custer, Michigan.

On 25 August the Division’s 57TH Field Artillery Brigade
was organized from the 1ST Wisconsin Field Artillery, 1ST Wisconsin
Cavalry, detachments from 4TH and 6TH Wisconsin Infantry
Regiments, 1ST Michigan Field Artillery, 1ST Michigan
Cavalry and detachments from 31ST Michigan Infantry.

On 8 September 1917 the Division’s 64TH Infantry Brigade
was organized from the 1ST, 2D, and 3D
Wisconsin Infantry Regiments plus detachments from the 4TH, 5TH,
and 6TH Wisconsin Infantry Regiments.

On 9 September Company L, 32D Michigan Infantry entrained
for Camp MacArthur, arriving there on 12 Sep.

On 11 September the Division’s 63D Infantry Brigade was
organized from the 31ST, 32D, and 33D Michigan
Infantry Regiments.

On 15 September the remainder of the 32D Michigan Infantry
entrained for Camp MacArthur. Three trains were needed to transport the
Regiment and they arrived in Texas on 19 Sep.

On 18 September Brigadier
General William G. 'Bunker' Haan (then commander of the 57TH Field
Artillery Brigade) became acting commander of the 32D Division. BG
Haan officially assumed command of the Division in December, when MG Parker was
transferred to the 85TH Division. Brigadier General Edward Fenton McGlachlin, Jr., assumed command of the 57TH FA
Brigade when BG Haan became 32D Division commander.

From 22 September to 15 October the organization of the 32D
Division was finalized in accordance with the Tables of Organization of 8
August 1917.

On 23 September the 107TH Engineer Regiment was organized.
The 1ST Michigan Engineers formed the 1ST Battalion,
Companies A, B, & C. The 1ST Wisconsin Engineers formed the 2D
Battalion, Companies D, E, & F. The 107TH Engineers had the dual
burden of attempting to train to go to war while simultaneously assisting in
the construction of Camp MacArthur.

The
autumn of 1917 witnessed the establishment of a unique connection between the
32D ‘Red Arrow’ Division and Baylor University that continues to
this day. For many years the university did not have a mascot but on 14 Dec.
1914 the students voted to have a bear represent the University as mascot.
However, they did not have a real-live bear for their mascot until the fall of
1917 when the men of the 107TH Engineer Regiment presented the
school with a black bear named ‘Ted’ who had served as the mascot for the
Regiment. The bear’s name was ‘Ted’ but he was often called ‘Bruin’. Since then
more than 50 North American Black Bears have called Baylor home.

On 29 September systematic training for the Division began in earnest.
This was also the date of arrival for the 31ST Michigan Infantry
Regiment.

The last Wisconsin unit arrived
on 1 October; although not sure
which unit it was. I currently do not have much information pertaining to the
arrival of the Michigan units.

A newspaper article from 2
October 1917 stated that the 32D Division had been given the
nickname, “The Iron Jaw Division.”

As mentioned above, 15 October 1917 is the date that numerous
Division unit histories state as the date the 32D ‘Red Arrow’
Division came into existence. This is likely the completion date, the effective
date, of the physical reorganization to create the 32D ‘Red Arrow’
Division from the old Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard units. You can find
some information about how the various Wisconsin and Michigan units were
combined to form the the 32D Division here: http://www.32nd-division.org/history/ww1/32ww1org.html. [updated 1
Sep. ‘14]

Between 26 October and 3 November
1917, the Division received 4,000 draftees from Camp Custer, Michigan, and
Camp Grant, Illinois, but it remained under strength by nearly 3,500 Soldiers
and would remain below authorized strength at the time of its embarkation for
Europe.

The first troops left Camp
MacArthur on 2 January 1918, bound for Camp Merritt, New Jersey and then
onto the Port of Embarkation at Hoboken, New Jersey. Camp MacArthur was cleared
by 1 March.

On 13 January the advance
detachment of the 32D Division sailed for France.

The 125TH Infantry
Regiment left Camp MacArthur on 16 and
17 January bound for Camp Merritt, New Jersey. [added 20 Jan.
‘14]

On 18 January the 127TH
Infantry Regiment left Camp MacArthur for Camp Merritt, New Jersey.

On 24 January the advance
detachment of the 32D Division arrived at Brest, France.

The 32D Division
suffered its first casualties of the war when, on 5 February, the SS Tuscania was sunk by a German
submarine (UB-77, commanded by Lt. Cdr.
Wilhelm Meyer) while crossing the Atlantic. The 107TH
Engineer Train, 107TH MP's, 107TH Supply Train and parts
of other 32D Division units were aboard the Tuscania and 13 men of those 32D Division units died as
a result of the attack. In addition to the above mentioned 32D
Division units, there were also other American units; about 230 Soldiers and ship's
crew members died in the attack.

On 5 February, the 120TH
and 121ST Field Artillery Regiments left Camp MacArthur for Camp
Merritt, New Jersey.

On 6 February the 107TH Field Signal Battalion landed in England
(continued on to France a few days later) and Ambulance Companies 125 and 128
landed at St. Nazaire, France.

On 7 February 1918 General
Haan was promoted to the rank of Major General.

On 7 February, the 125TH Infantry Regiment boarded
transports at Antigone, President Lincoln and the Martha Washington at Hoboken and sailed
for France. [added 20 Jan. ‘14]

On 15 February the 107TH Supply Train and 107TH
Engineer Train landed in England, both units were aboard SS Tuscania when it was torpedoed on 5 Feb. off the British coast.
They continued on to France a few days later.

On 16 February the 126TH Infantry Regiment, 107TH
Trench Mortar Battery, Field Hospital Companies Nos. 127 & 128 of the 107TH
Sanitary Train finished boarding the USS
President Grant at the Port of Embarkation at Hoboken, NJ. On 18 February they sailed for France in a
convoy which included the transports George
Washington, Covington, De Kalb, Manchuria, Pastores,
Susquehanna, and El Sol, the cruiser USS
Huntington served as the convoy escort. The 128TH Infantry
Regiment also sailed on this convoy.

On 16 February 1918 the 32D Division Headquarters landed
overseas, at the time the official arrival date for divisions was the date their
HQs landed. The first 32D Division Command Post in Europe was set up
on 20 February at Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure, France. On24 February the Command Post was moved and
established near Prauthoy, France, the designated training ground for the
Division.

The 32D
was the sixth division to join the A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Force). The 1ST
‘Big Red One’ Division (RA) arrived 17 June 1917. The 26TH 'Yankee'
Division (New England National Guard) arrived on 23 October 1917. The 42D
'Rainbow' Division (National Guard units from 26 states and Washington D.C.)
arrived on 1 November 1917. The 41ST ‘Sunsetters’ Division (National
Guard units from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, North Dakota and Washington) arrived
on 27 December 1917. The 2D ‘Indianhead’ Division (RA) arrived on 28
December 1917.

On 17 February the 107TH Ammunition Train landed in England
(continued on to France a few days later).

On 24 February the convoy transporting the 125TH Infantry
Regiment reached St. Nazaire and Brest, France. [added 20 Jan. ‘14] The 1ST Battalion, of the 125TH
Infantry was among the units that disembarked at St. Nazaire.

The Division’s artillery
regiments sailed for France on 26
February and 3 March.

On 3 March, the USS Leviathan left Hoboken, New Jersey,
with the 120TH Field Artillery Regiment, 121ST Field
Artillery Regiment, and other units, aboard.

On 6 March the 119TH Field Artillery Regiment landed at Liverpool,
England (continued on to France a few days later).

On 13 March, the USS Leviathan reached Liverpool,
England, with the 120THField Artillery Regiment, 121ST
Field Artillery Regiment, and other units, aboard. The units disembarked and were
sent to Camp Winnal Downs by train.

On 20 March, the 120TH
Field Artillery Regiment and 121ST Field Artillery Regiment landed
at Le Havre, France. They made the 6-hour cross-channel jaunt from Southampton
standing shoulder-to-shoulder on open decked cattle boats, which were still
rife with the manure of the boats’ usual occupants.

Before the 32D
Division arrived in France, the General Headquarters of the American
Expeditionary Force had made the decision that the sixth American division to
arrive in France would be designated as a replacement organization. The 32D
Division had the misfortune of being the sixth division to arrive and was
informed of its fate as soon as it debarked. This decision would soon be
reversed (due, in part, to a German offensive), the 32D Division
would remain intact as a fighting unit, but not before approximately 7,000 of
its soldiers were farmed out as replacements to other American units (the
Division had 27,000 men when it left for France).

The 125TH, 126TH
and 127TH Infantry Regiments were assigned as temporary labor troops
immediately after their arrival, and went to work on important projects in the
Service of Supply (mainly constructing supply depots). Because of this, only
scattered detachments reached the 10th Training Area during the first month the
Division was in France. The 57TH Artillery Brigade went to the
artillery training area at Camp Coetquidan and the 107TH Engineers
were assigned to engineering work in the Service of Supply.

The 128TH Infantry,
however, reached the 10th Training Area in March, and bore the brunt of the
replacement blow. For about four weeks the Division functioned as a replacement
organization and during that time all the privates and captains of the 128TH
who were present for duty were transferred to the 1ST ‘Big Red One’
Division as replacements. The 1ST Division had completed its
training and was entering the trenches at Cantigny. Many NCOs of the 128TH
asked to be reduced in rank so they could accompany their comrades, but they
were needed to train the new men the Division would soon get and their requests
were not granted.

In early April, the Army
designated the 41ST ‘Sunsetters’ Division as a replacement division
and reconstitution of the 32D as a combat division began in earnest.
As a result, the majority of the 7,000 replacements the 32D Division
received at the time came from the 41ST Division.

Most of the Division, still minus
the artillery and engineers, was finally assembled in the 10th Training Area on
10 April 1918.

Alsace

On 18 May 1918 the first troops (four battalions) of the 32D
Division were assigned to front line duty in Haute Alsace, as part of the 40th
French Corps. The 1ST Battalion of the 125TH Infantry was
the first of the first. Thus the 32D Division were the first
U.S. troops to set foot on German soil (Alsace was part of Germany when the war
started in 1914).

On the night of 21-22 May, the 3D Bn., 127TH Inf.,
command by MAJ Charles S. Buck, entered the trenches in the Alsace sector.

On 24
May 1918 the Division suffered its first KIA in combat in France when PVT
Joseph W. Guyton was killed. This also meant that he was the first U.S.
Soldier to be KIA on German soil. Born in Evart Township, MI, on 10 Jun.
1889, he was assigned to Co. I, 126TH Inf.

Near midnight on 24 May, Guyton was a machine
gunner at Petty Post 9, an OP, at the front line. He had been told to
intermittently fire his gun toward the German trenches. After one of these
bursts he was struck in the temple by a German machine gun burst and died
instantly.

On 25 May, the commander of the French 9TH
Infantry Division cited PVT Guyton in its orders and decorated him with the
Croix de Guerre: “Divisional Order No.
297 General Gamelin, commanding the 9th Infantry Division, cites in the
Divisional Order: The soldier, Joseph W. Guyton, of the 126th American
Infantry Regiment, 'on guard in the first line was killed by a machine gun
bullet. He is the first soldier of the 32nd American Division to fall
fighting for the cause of right and liberty on Alsacian soil, beside his
French comrades.” This made PVT Guyton the first 32D Div.
Soldier to be decorated.

PVT Guyton’s comrades buried him in the cemetery of a nearby German
church. His remains were repatriated in 1921. In May of that year, President
Warren G. Harding placed a wreath on his flag-draped coffin during a ceremony
for 5,000 repatriated American remains at the pier in Hoboken, NJ, where he
said: "In the name of the republic,
I bestow this tribute on the casket of the first soldier who perished on the
soil of the enemy... I chose it because I am offering the tribute to the one
returned whose death on enemy soil marked the day when our civilization went
face forward and the assault on our present day civilization knew it had
failed. May 24, 1918, is the date on which this soldier was killed, and the
name is that of Joseph W. Guyton, Company I of the 126th Infantry, a resident
patriot and hero of the State of Michigan of the United States of
America." After the ceremony, he was transported to his hometown of
Evart, MI, where he was reinterred at Forest Hill cemetery. Ten-thousand people
turned out for his funeral in that tiny community on 5 Jun. The local VFW Post,
a park, and a bridge are named in his honor.

On 25 May, PVT Joseph
P. Dugan, Co. D, 125TH Inf., was KIA and became that regiment’s
first combat casualty. PVT Dugan was from Taunton, MA and was assigned to the
32D Div. on 18 Apr. ’18.

On 27 May, the 127TH Inf. suffered its first
combat casualty when PVT Kenneth E. Counter, from Alden, MN and assigned to Co.
I, was killed.

SGT Charles E. Cunningham, from Grand Rapids, MI and assigned to
Co. K, 126TH Inf., was also among the casualties of the 32D
Division’s first days of combat. The circumstances are detailed in History
of the 126TH Infantry in the War With
Germany:

“About 4:30 o'clock in
the morning of May 27th, the detachment from Company K designated to occupy the
advance day position in P. P. 2 [Petty Post 2], was proceeding along the
communicating trench to its post with Sergeant Charles E. Cunningham, the
detachment commander, in the lead. As the detachment neared the day post,
Sergeant Cunningham was separated from his detachment by some Germans, who were
members of an enemy raiding party, and concealed in a recess in the trench.
They attempted to make him prisoner, but Sergeant Cunningham opened fire on the
enemy, who returned the fire, knocked him down and rushed along the trench. The
first shot struck the sergeant in the chest, severely wounding him, but despite
his wound, he climbed upon the parapet and, single-handed, attacked the enemy
raiding party, fired six shots at them from his pistol and drove them off, but
not before he had received two more gunshot wounds and fell unconscious in the
trench. Sergeant Cunningham was immediately given first aid and taken to a
hospital, but the wounds he received in this early morning encounter proved fatal, and he died on the afternoon of July 3, 1918.”
(Gansser 70) [added 6 Jul. ‘14]

SGT Cunningham earned
the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre with silver
star for his actions on 27 May. MG Haan, 32D Div. commander, presented the Croix de
Guerre to SGT Cunningham while he was being treated for his wounds in a
hospital, the DSC was bestowed posthumously. He was a member of the Michigan
National Guard when it was mobilized on 15 Jul. ’17. More information about him
and his medal can be found on the roster of DSC
recipients. [added 6 Jul. ‘14]

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

Soldiers
of Co. B, 127TH Inf., 32D Div. carrying in mess to men
in the trenches, Carspach Woods, Alsace, Germany on 7 June 1918.

On 9 June, Battery A fired
the first shot of the war for the 120TH FA. Several days later the
120TH FA suffered its first casualty of the war when PVT Kenneth
Head, from Battery B, was seriously wounded on 16 June.

By 15 June, eight
battalions of the 32D Division were in the front line (the other
four battalions were in support). The Divisions sector of the front stretched
27 kilometers, from Aspach le Bas to the Swiss border. In the middle of June
the 57TH Field Artillery Brigade joined the Division in Alsace and a
few days later was firing in support of the infantry. The 107TH
Engineers joined the Division about the same time, so that on 15 June 1918
the Division was practically complete, except for the shortage of about 2,000
enlisted men, mostly from the infantry. The 32D was sent here to
complete its combat training in order to prepare to be sent to a more active
sector in the future. This area was considered a quiet sector; no major combat
activity was taking place in this area at this time. Aggressive patrols and
raids were the normal activity here, patrols from both sides met and clashed in
no man’s land almost nightly.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

At about 0530 hours on 23 June, a group from 4THPlt., Co.
M, 126TH Inf., led by 1LT Carl A. Johnson, was making its way
through the trenches to occupy an advanced OP near Diefmatten, Alsace.
Unbeknownst to them, a well-camouflaged German raiding party was lying in
ambush on the parapet. The Germans opened fire and 1LT Johnson was shot in the
abdomen and fell seriously wounded. SGT Dewey F. Slocum, CPL John C. Phillips
and CPL Newton Bell, who had been directly behind 1LT Johnson, were suddenly
surrounded, the rest of their patrol had been forced to withdraw to their
previous position. They were able to hold off the enemy with rifle fire and
grenades, inflicting at least four casualties. Eventually they were able to
fight their way back and rejoin their comrades. Later, another group from Co. M
moved forward to clear the trench. They found 1LT Johnson’s body where he had fallen.
He had been shot in the forehead as he lay wounded and his body was
booby-trapped with grenades and other explosives. SGT Slocum and CPL
Phillips, from Grand Rapids, MI, and CPL Bell, from Muses Mills, KY, earned the
DSC for their actions on 23 June, CPL Bell’s was
bestowed posthumously because he was late KIA on 10 Oct. More information about these three
Soldiers and their medals can be found on the roster of DSC
recipients. [added 20 Jan. ‘14]

Early in July 1918,
General Pershing inspected the 32D Division. General Haan expressed
the opinion that his men would give a good account of themselves, and hoped
that he would soon get orders to go to an active front. General Pershing
replied, “I like the snap in your Division, and unless I am mistaken you
will be on your way to a more active front in the very near future. Tell your
men I like their spirit.”

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

SGT Willard D. Purdy, from Marshfield,
WI, a Soldier in Co. A,
127TH Inf., sacrificed his own life in order to save the lives of
his soldiers during a patrol near Hagenback,
Alsace, on 4 July 1918, and
earned the DSC, bestowed posthumously, for his self-less act. SGT Purdy was a Soldier in
the Wisconsin National Guard when it was mobilized on 15 Jul. ’17. More information about him and his medal
can be found on the roster of DSC recipients.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

On 19 July 1918 the
Division began to pull out of Alsace, bound for a different sector of the
front. There had been three German Divisions, the 30th Bavarian Reserve
Division, the 44th Landwehr and the 25th Landwehr, in the trenches opposite the
32nd Division in the Alsace sector. The Division suffered 440 losses from all
causes, including: killed, 1 officer and 39 men; severely wounded, 3 officers
and 79 men; slightly wounded, 9 officers and 211 men; gassed, 7 officers and 67
men; died of wounds, 1 officer and 15 men; taken prisoner, 8 (8 German
prisoners were captured).

Aisne-Marne
Campaign (a.k.a. Second Battle of the Marne)

On 26 July 1918 the Division proceeded
to the region of Château-Thierry, as part of the 38th French Corps, 6th French
Army, in the tip of the famous Marne salient.

After nightfall on 29 July,
the 64TH Brigade (127TH and 128TH Infantry)
began to filter forward to relieve the 3D Infantry Division in the
front line, on the Ourcq in the vicinity of Ronchères.
The 3D Division had been fighting continuously since the German
offensive started about 15 July and was exhausted, being at the time held up by
strong German resistance in the Bois de Grimpettes.

The 32D Division
received its baptism of fire (first major offensive action) at 1430 hours on 30
July 1918 when the 127TH Infantry went over the top and followed
a rolling barrage into the Bois des Grimpettes. The 127TH pushed
through the woods until they were stopped by machine gun fire from the right
flank. On this flank, from positions in the Bois de Cierges, the Germans
continued to oppose every effort to advance, but the 127TH Infantry
gained the edge of those woods and established themselves there. During the
night the Germans launched a counter attack from the Bois de Meuniere and a
bayonet melee raged for hours in the dark, tangled woods, until the attacking
force was finally routed.

PVT
Edwin Austin, from Shawano, WI, and PVT James C. Hix, from Beloit, WI, both
assigned to Co. F, 127TH Inf., earned the DSC for their efforts to
rescue wounded comrades during that attack near Ronchères on 30 July.Both decorations were bestowed posthumously; PVT
Austin was KIA that day and PVT Hix was later KIA on 7 or 9 Oct.PVT Austin was a Soldier in the Wisconsin
National Guard when it was mobilized on 15 Jul. ’17. More information about them and their
medals can be found on the roster of DSC
recipients.

During the night of 30 July,
the 63D Brigade (125TH and 126TH Infantry)
moved up from support to relieve the 28TH Division, Pennsylvania
National Guard (adjacent and on the left of the 64TH Brigade, the
4th French Division was on our right).

Earlier
on 30 July, at 1530 hours, while
leaders were coordinating with the units they were to relieve that night, a
high explosive shell hit a house in Courmont that was
the Command Post of the 110TH Infantry from Pennsylvania. CPT James
J. Cook and 1LT Elmer E. Nelson, both from Pontiac, MI, were
KIA and the 1ST Bn., 125TH Inf. commander and his entire
staff were WIA. One officer and seven men from the 110TH Inf. were
also killed. CPT Charles Learned assumed command of the 1ST Bn., 125TH
Inf. and the relief was executed as planned. CPT Cook was from Co. H, 126TH
Inf.; he had previously served with the 120TH MG Bn. 1LT Nelson was
from Co. A, 120TH MG Bn.

On the morning of 31 July,
both Infantry Brigades of the 32D Division went into action side by
side. Directly in front of us was the long, open slope of the Ourcq Valley, reaching
to the woods of Les Jomblettes on Hill 212, a spur of Hill 230. This objective
constituted one of the strongest German positions on the line of the Ourcq, and
the success of the contemplated operation meant the breaking of the Kaiser’s
last formidable line of resistance south of the Vesle. Les Jomblettes was not
only holding up the 32D Division, machine gun nests there and in the
Bois Pelger, further back, flanked the open ground in front of the 42D
Division and absolutely prevented any advance by the “Rainbows”. On the left,
the 63D Brigade promptly reached its objective, Hill 212, after some
wicked fighting. They dove into Les Jomblettes and mopped it up and then
cleaned out the Bois Pelger, allowing the 42D Division to advance.
On the right, the127TH Infantry pushed their attack through the
village of Cierges and passed beyond, only to be held up by a withering hail of
machine gun bullets from Bellevue Farm, which had been organized into a very
strong center of resistance which the artillery had failed to smother.

The attack was renewed on the
morning of 1 August 1918. The objective of the 63D Brigade
was Hill 230. The mission of the 64TH was to take Bellevue Farm,
which had stopped the attack the day before. The Germans resisted desperately
and were amply supported by machine guns and artillery. But “Les Terribles”
were not to be denied. The objectives were gained and after dark the 32D
Division dominated Hill 230. The Germans were forced to retreat after they lost
this commanding high ground.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

Soldiers of the 126TH
Inf., 32D Division, assembling for an attack near Coutmont, 1 Aug.
1918.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

Soldiers of the 2D
Battalion, 126TH Inf., 32D Division, assembling in a
wheat field prepatory to an attack near Coutmont, 1 Aug. 1918.

The situation was now such that
the commander of the 6th French Army thought it probable that a consolidated
advance could break through. Such an advance was ordered to begin on the
morning of 2 August. The German resistance was not as stubborn as it had
been over the last few days. As a result, the 32D Division advanced
rapidly. The pursuit was continued to a line north of the village of Dravegny,
which the 32D reached by nightfall, after an advance of about 6 km.

On 3 August, the pursuit
was resumed and our troops continued to steadily gain ground, although meeting
with increased resistance, especially on the left flank, where the 42D
Division was unable to advance as rapidly as the 32D. By the end of
the day, the Division’s front line had advanced about 7 km to the hills
overlooking the valley of the Vesle, about 1 km south of the Vesle on the left
and 2 km south of Fismes on the right. Here considerable resistance was met
from the German rear guard, which was making a stand to protect the withdrawal
over the river.

1LT Clarence G. Noble, from Soperton,
Wis., an officer in Co. G, 128TH Inf.,
was KIA in this attack near St. Giles,
France, on 3
August 1918, and was posthumously awarded the DSC for his actions that day. 1LT
Noble's citation reads: “He voluntarily exposed himself to heavy shell fire
in placing his men under cover during a heavy bombardment. While assisting a
wounded soldier he was struck by a shell and killed.”

On 4 August the 127TH
moved out toward Fismes, while the 63D Brigade attacked the railroad
yards on their front. The enemy had no intentions of yielding without a bitter
battle and by means of very heavy artillery and machine gun fire was able to
hold the town and railroad yards during the early hours of the afternoon. In
its attack on Fismes, the 127TH was badly cut up and late in the day
Colonel Langdon organized a provisional battalion out of what was left of his
regiment and sent it forward to storm the town. His shattered companies made a
desperate assault and finally succeeded, about nightfall, in passing through
the town and establishing a position on the south bank of the river. On the
left, the 63D Brigade took the railroad yards and succeeded in
getting a few small patrols across the river during the night, but was unable
to maintain them there so they were withdrawn.

The 3D
Battalion, commanded by CPT Byron Beveridge, was the assault battalion for the
127TH Infantry's attack on Fismes. The 3D Bn. commenced
their attack at 1430, covered by machine gun fire from Co. A, 121ST
Machine Gun Battalion and some artillery from the 120TH Field
Artillery. The authorized strength of the battalion was 20 officers and 1,000
men; the 3D Bn. was down to 12 officers and 350 men when they
started their assault on 4 August. They suffered many more casualties as they
advanced over 2,100 yards of mostly open ground while subjected to intense
German artillery and machine gun fire. The 2D Bn., 127TH
Inf., commanded by CPT George F. O'Connell, also understrength due to the
recent fighting, was brought into to assist the 3D Battalion's push
toward Fismes. The 127TH Inf. was able to capture Fismes, but at
terrific cost. That night, the 3D Bn. was down to 2 officers and 94
men; the 2D Bn. had 5 officers and 104 men. The 1ST Bn.,
commanded by CPT William Smith, was held in reserve during this attack.

1LT Ray C. Dickop, from
Beloit, Wis., CO of Co. L, 127TH Inf. was KIA in this attack on
Fismes, France, on 4 August 1918, and was posthumously awarded the DSC for his
actions that day. 1LT Dickop's citation reads: “On reaching Chezelles Farm,
he was shot in the head, body and legs. Although thus fatally wounded, when
orders came for another assault, he gave the command ‘Charge’ to his company
and led the assault until he fell dead.”

Near
the end of the war, General Pershing compiled a list of the 100 greatest
American heroes of the war. The list became known as Pershing's 100. Gen.
Pershing included 1LT Ray C. Dickop on his list.

PVT Wilford Lloyd, a soldier
in Co. L, 127TH Inf., was awarded the DSC for his actions during the
attack on Fismes, France, on 4 August 1918. He was serving as 1LT Dickop's
orderly and was wounded at the same time as 1LT Dickop. As PVT Lloyd fell
wounded, he lost his pistol. He then crawled over to a dead soldier, picked up
the dead man’s rifle and joined a squad in a successful attack on the strongly
fortified stone wall surrounding Chezelles Farm on the outskirts of Fismes.

On 5 August, the 127TH
gave their attention to mopping up the town. Attempts were also made to cross
the river, but without success. On the night of 5 August, the 3D
Battalion of the 128TH, the only strong battalion left in the 64TH
Brigade, was ordered into Fismes to reinforce the 127TH. On the
morning of 6 August, the 127TH was relieved from Fismes.
There were still German snipers in the town, and the 128TH continued
to mop up the place. In the eastern half of the town German and American
patrols clashed and it was nightfall before the Americans could claim anything
like control of the city.

It was
during this action that the 32D Division earned the nickname of “Les
Terribles”. When this fight first started General de Mondesir, the 38th French
Corps Commander, under whose orders the 32D was serving at the time,
went to the front to see how the Americans were conducting the battle. After he
personally observed the 32nd clearing the Germans out of their powerful
positions with regularity and determination, he exclaimed “Oui, Oui, Les
soldats terrible, tres bien, tres bien!” General Mangin heard of it and
referred to the 32D Division as “Les Terribles” when he asked for
the Division to join his famous 10th French Army of shock troops north of
Soissons. He later made the nickname official when he incorporated it in his
citation for their terrific punch at Juvigny.

The 32D Division was the only
American division to be bestowed a nom-de-guerre by an Allied nation during the
war.

On 7 August 1918 the 32D
Division was relieved in the front by the 28TH Infantry Division. In
the savage fighting that occurred since 30 July, the German line was forced
steadily back, over difficult ground, from the strongly fortified position on
the Ourcq River to the Vesle River, a distance of 19 kilometers. The brilliant
and determined American attacks culminated in the 64TH Infantry
Brigade’s capture of the important town of Fismes (on the Vesle) on 7 August,
and the 63D Brigade’s capture of the important German railhead on
the Vesle (in the left of the Division’s sector) on 4 August. During the past
week the Division had captured 18 villages and fortified farms, captured 4
pieces of heavy artillery, five pieces of light artillery, ten trench mortars,
28 machine guns and hundreds of rifles. The Division had faced three German
Divisions in this offensive: the Fourth Prussian Guards, the 200th and the
216th. One German officer and 96 soldiers were taken prisoner. The 32D
Division casualties were 4,597 losses from all causes, including: killed and
died of wounds, 797; severely wounded, 1,153; slightly wounded, 2009; gassed,
618; missing, 12; captured, 2 officers and 6 men.

Oise-Aisne
Campaign

On 23 August 1918 the Division started movement to a new
sector, in the vicinity of Pierrefonds, near Soissons. After a few days in the
Army reserve the Division was sent across the Aisne to a position in the rear
of the 127th French Infantry Division, with orders to relieve that division on
short notice.

The relief of the 127th French
Infantry Division took place on the night of 27-28 August. The 63D
Brigade went into the line and the 64TH Brigade went into support
(of the 63D). (The Infantry companies were down to 50% of their
authorized strength of 250 soldiers as the 32D Division prepared to
enter its second battle.) The relief was completed at 0200 hrs. The first
attack was set for 0700 hours, the precise hour that command of the sector
passed to the 32D Commander, General Haan.

The 63D went over the
top at 0700 hours on 28 August to participate in a limited attack to
eliminate a dangerous salient in the sector of the 59th French Division to the
right of the 32D. During the morning the 32D readily
gained their objective, the railroad track west of the village of Juvigny, the
village was destined to be one of the high spots in the career of “Les
Terribles”. The 63D Brigade turned in over 100 prisoners as a result
of their push, and the captured Germans all testified to their complete
surprise at the presence of Americans in the sector. Later the 32D
found that the position they had captured was difficult to hold. They were on
high, open ground on the slope of a hill facing the enemy. There was little
cover, except shell holes, and they were subjected to artillery and machine gun
fire from positions that had excellent observation of our front. The exposed
position could not be abandoned without endangering the French; as a result,
the casualties were high. Shortly after noon, the Germans counter attacked to
attempt to dislodge the Americans. Our machine gunners held their ground and,
aided by our artillery, were able to repel the German counter attack. After
that, the Germans continued their harassing artillery and machine gun fire on the
troops in the vicinity of the railroad tracks.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

Men
of Co. K, 128TH Inf., 32D Division, in line on Valpriez
Farm in front of Juvigny, 29 Aug. 1918.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

French
tanks moving to the support of French troops operating on the left of the 32D
Division, 29 Aug. 1918.

General Mangin ordered a general
attack by the entire 10th French Army (of which the 32D was a part
of at this time) to take place at 0525 hours on 29 August, with the
objective of a complete break through the German line. Two companies of tanks
and a troop of Moroccan Cavalry were attached to the 32D Division
(several French Artillery units were also attached to the 57TH Field
Artillery Brigade of the 32D Division).

Those
two tank companies, although French-manned, were the first tanks used in
support of U.S. troops. The first employment of U.S.-manned tanks occurred on
12 Sep. ‘18 near St. Mihiel. [added 19 Jan. ‘14]

A tremendous artillery
preparation had been delivered during the night, followed by a rolling barrage
in front of the attacking infantry in the morning, but all this seemed to have
little effect on the German machine gun nests, some of which took good
advantage of numerous caves in the area. The Germans also laid down an
effective counter barrage, just as our troops jumped off. The entire 10th
French Army met a determined German defense occupying well sited and protected
positions. Casualties were heavy on both sides and very little ground was
gained. Because of the heavy casualties, the 63D Brigade was
relieved by the 64TH Brigade on the night of 29-30 August in
preparation for the next general attack, planned for 30 August. The 127TH
was on the right and the 128TH on the left, each with two battalions
in the line and one in support.

The planned attack for 30
August was not ordered. This situation left the 32D Division
front line still exposed on the hill west of Juvigny, with the troops suffering
heavily. While corrective measures were being considered, word was received
from the 59th French Division on our right that its right flank had advanced in
close liaison with the division to their right, which had found a weak spot in
the German line and had broken through. It became apparent that this movement
was going to meet with success and preparations were made for the 32D
to participate in the shove. This would give us the opportunity to attack
Juvigny. When the attack was launched, the left flank, together with the 66th
French Division on our left, was held up by heavy fire coming from the
northeast. The right flank, however, moved forward, and while it encountered
determined opposition in going through the woods, it succeeded in making its
way through the ravine to a position to the south of Juvigny with the extreme
right partially enveloping the town to the east. One battalion of the 128TH
Infantry moved forward west of Juvigny and reached a position north of the
town, in this way the village was practically surrounded. The enemy was taken
by surprise by the attack, but recovered and delivered a counter attack on our
left flank. This attack was repulsed by the 128TH, which had been
reinforced on its left by a battalion of the 125TH Infantry. With
Juvigny surrounded, the support battalion of the 127TH Infantry
entered the town from the southwest and mopped up, encountering some wicked
fighting. Nearly all of the German troops holding the village were either
killed or captured.

1LT Henry S. Blomberg, from
Superior, Wis., an officer in Co. D, 127TH Inf., was awarded the DSC
for his bravery during this attack at Juvigny, France, on 30 August 1918. 1LT
Blomberg's citation reads: “Inspiring his men by his own personal bravery,
he vigorously led his company forward in the face of heavy machine-gun and
artillery fire, capturing the heights overlooking Juvigny with many prisoners.
After reaching the objective he repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire time
after time in reorganizing the line. During the defense of the position won he
personally set up and operated a captured German machine gun against the enemy
while under terrific fire.” 1LT Blomberg was later KIA on 4 October 1918.

General Mangin ordered his second
general attack to take place at 1600 hours on 31 August 1918. This
attack was needed to straighten out the front line and improve the positions of
some of the forward units. He ordered an artillery preparation of four hours to
precede the infantry attack. The entire 57TH Artillery Brigade,
commanded by BG George L. Irwin, and the artillery of the 1st Moroccan
Division, which was supporting the 32D, was assigned to General Haan
for this attack. Novel use was made of this abnormal abundance of artillery in
the form of a triple, rolling barrage, to cover a depth of about 1 ½ km. Some
of the German prisoners taken during the day remarked that there were so many
artillery shells bursting around them that they thought the Americans had a
machine gun that sprayed 75 mm shells. Even after all this, the 32D
Division still suffered considerable casualties as they progressed to the
Terny-Sorny-Betancourt road, where the general advance stopped.

In an operation against a
determined enemy, disposed in great depth, supported be adequate artillery and
entrenched in highly organized positions in country that lent itself naturally
to defense, the 32D Division had again broken through a German key
position, had penetrated his line to a depth of 5 ½ km, and started an enemy
withdrawal, thus paving the way for a forward movement by the whole French 10th
Army.

The 32D was relieved
by the First Moroccan Division; this division included the Foreign Legion and
other famous units, on the night of 1-2 September and went into support
for the 10th French Army.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

Cave at Tartiers used as 32D
Division command post and first aid station.

U.S. Army
Signal Corps photograph, from U.S. Official Pictures of the World War.

On 5 September orders were
received stating that the 32D was being transferred
to the First American Army, thus effecting the 32D Division’s
withdrawal from the Oise-Aisne offensive. General Mangin later decorated the
Division for its actions in this offensive. He decorated the colors of all four
Infantry regiments, all three artillery regiments and all three machine gun
battalions with the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the highest order of the Croix
de Guerre. These were the only National Guard units bestowed with the highest
order of the Croix de Guerre during WWI. Gen. Mangin also cited over 500
officers and men for gallantry in action while under his command. The 32D
Division casualties were 2908 losses from all causes, including: killed and
died of wounds, 485; severely wounded, 599; slightly wounded, 1251; gassed,
574; missing, 14; captured, 5 men. Five German Divisions were used up in an
attempt to hold the position which the 32D stormed-the 7th, 7th
Reserve, the 223rd, the 238th and the 237th. From these Divisions 937 prisoners
were captured, 9 of them officers. The material captured included 2 pieces of
heavy artillery, 2 pieces of light artillery, 16 trench mortars, 112 machine
guns, 700 rifles and great quantities of ammunition and material.

The Division was moved to a rest
area in the vicinity of Joinville, north of Chaumont, on 10 September 1918.
About 5,000 new men arrived in the Division, but the rifle companies were still
short three officers and 50 men each.

On 15 September General
Pershing visited the 32D Division and congratulated them on their
accomplishments during the Oise-Aisne campaign.

Moore,
William and Russell, James.U.S. Official Pictures of the World War - Showing
America's Participation.Washington, DC: Pictorial Bureau, 1920Souvenir of the First Annual
Reunion of the 32nd Division (Les Terribles).Milwaukee, WI: 121ST
F. A. Veterans’ Association, 1920.